Gas humidifying device



l 1934; F, A. BLASHFIELD 1,974,843

GAS HUMIDIFYING DEVICE Filed Nov. 5, 1952 Minute 5 L item pef ill Patented Sept. 25, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAS HUMIDIFYING DEVICE Floyd A. Blashfield, Madison, Wis., assignor to Seaman-Morris Company, Madison, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin This invention relates to a means of humidifying gases in general, and more particularly to the humidifying of oxygen as used in oxygen therapy. The common practice in the administration of oxygen bythe nasal or pharyngeal catheter method is to introduce oxygen into the pharyngeal passages of the patient by means of a small tube or. catheter placed through the nasal passages I and through which-the oxygen is mixed into the air breathed by the patient to produce a much higher concentration of oxygen than can be obtained from the ordinary air. As the oxygen coming from the high pressure cylinder is very dry, it absorbs the moisture in the pharyngeal passages of the patient and causes a dehydration of these passages. The general object of this invention, as related to oxygen therapy, is to provide a device for administering oxygen by the method above described that will relieve this condition, increase the comfort to the patient, and provide the operator with a simple means oi control. v

Other objects of the invention, are to provide an improved equipment for the administration of humidified oxygen by the oropharyngeal catheter method of simple and readily portable construction that may be conveniently placed by the side of the chair or bed of the patient when in use,

that cannot be easily overturned or upset, that can be easily taken apart or disassembled for cleaning or renewal, and that will effectively prevent the carrying over of water along with the gas into the catheter.

Still other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with devices of this character from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein I have illustrated a practical and preferred embodiment of the invention, and in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation of the complete device.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 01 Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3--3 of Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, designates a pan equipped with feet 11, and of a size to receive and support three jars 12, 13 and 14 in a generally triangular disposition, as shown in Fig. 2, These jars may be otdinary Mason jars, the caps or covers 12 of which are soldered or otherwise secured to a flat disc 15 that, in turn, is mounted within a cover member 16 of approximately the form and size of the pan 10. Within the caps 12' are the usual rubber washers 120. which seal the necks of the jars. The pan 10 and the cover 16 are separably united by a central tie rod 17, the lower end bf which is secured in a lug 18 on the bottom of .the pan 10, while its upper end is equipped with a nut 19.

The-jar 12 constitutes the humidifier proper, the jar 13 is suitably equipped to provide a flow gauge, while the jar 14 performs the function of a water trap. A bent tube 21, which may be of copper,.is connected at its outer end by a hose 22 (Fig. 1) to the oxygen cylinder (through the usual pressure-reducing means) and extends, through the hollow interior of the cover and registering holes in the disc 15 and jar cap 12, into the jar 12 and enters the upper end of a metal cage 23 that is suspended thereby, and constitutes a mixing chamber. The cage 23, between a lower 8'5 screen 24, and a top screen 25 is filled by a body of glass or porcelain beads indicated at 26, by which the gas is caused to absorb a maximum amount of moisture. The jar 12 is filled with distilled Water to a point somewhat above the top of the cage 23 as shown in Fig. 3, so that, of course, the body of beads within the cage is submerged in a body of water.

The humidified gas rising in the top of the jar l2 flows through another tube 27 mounted in the cover 16 down through a vertical extension 2'? of said tube into the gauge jar 13. The extension 27 is formed with a vertical row of spaced holes 28 below the level of the water in the jar l3, and mounted on the tube extension 27 is a disc 29, the main function of which is to act as a shield or bafile so that as the bubbles of oxygen rise above the surface of the water, this shield prevents the water being thrown up into the outlet. To the under side of disc 29 is attached and suspended a scale bar 30 graduated in liters per minute, the figures on the scale bar lying opposite the holes 28. i

From the top of tlgej gauge jar 13, the gas flows through a tube 31*oyer into the top of the jar 14, which serves as a trap to catch and hold back any excess moisture in the form of water that may pass over with the gas. Extending through the disc, 15 and into the jar 14 is a tube 32, to the outer end of which is connected a hose 33 (Fig. 1) leading to the catheter.

On the cover '16 is a handle 35 by which the assembly is easily transportedjto and from its place of use.

p The jars 12 and 13 having been filled about to 110 the level shown in Fig. 3with water, preferably distilled, and the connections to the gas cylinder and the catheter having been made by the tubes 22 and 33, the oxygen flows through the tube 21 into the first jar 12 and mixing chamber 23, in which latter the bubbles of oxygen are broken up by the beads 26 so as to absorb the maximum amount of moisture. The oxygen collected at the top of the jar 12 is then conducted to the second jar 13 through the tube 27, 27, and emerges through the holes 28 of the latter, the gauge 30 on the side of the tube 27 indicating the flow of oxygen in liters per minute, the reading being made by the number of holes through which the oxygen is observed to be flowing. This method of gauging the flow of the gas is not new, but is used as an integral part of the present invention to provide an accurate means of indication, since it is not affected by back pressure as are some types of flow gauges. The gas collecting in the top of the fiow gauge jar 13 is then conducted by the tube 31 into the third jar 14 which, as stated, acts as a trap to collect any moisture which might be carried over from the other jars. The humidified gas thus collected in the jar 14 flows out through the pipe 32 and hose 33 to the catheter. The flow gauge affords a visible indication to the operator of the rate at which the gas is flowing and thus enables him at all times to control the rate of flow and the amount of gas administered by the usual hand valve in the gas supply connection to the oxygen cylinder.

It is, of course, old and common to humidify gas by causing the same to flow through a body of water and pick up moisture from the latter. The described method of gauging the flow by means of the tube 27, and the gauge 30 is also broadly old and known. It is also broadly old and known to pass gas through a body of shot or like material submerged in a body of water to obtain a maximum humidifying effect on the gas. So far as I am aware, however, the combined use of a humidifier, a flow gauge, and a water trap arranged in series as herein shown and described, is new. And manifestly, the gas might first enter the fiow gauge and then pass to the humidifier, and from the latter to the water trap, if desired.

As above stated, the complete device constitutes a relatively low and broad unit that, when placed on the floor or on a table is very stable and not easily upset. Also, by simply removing the nut 19 from the tie rod 1'7, the cover with the jars and the conducting tubes may be lifted bodily out of the pan, and the jars may then each be unscrewed from their caps for cleaning and refilling. The pan 10 serves another useful function to catch and retain water in case either of the jars 12 and 13 should be accidentally broken while in place, thus avoiding the spilling of the water over the floor or table. The jars having been washed and refilled with fresh clean water are readily screwed back onto the cover, and the latter is then connected to the pan by entering the cover over the top of the tie rod 1'7 and then screwing down the nut 19 in an obvious manner.

I have herein illustrated and described a form of the invention which in practice has been found to satisfactorily effectuate the stated purposes and objects thereof; but manifestly changes may be made in the form or construction of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and hence I do not limit the invention to the specific embodiment thereof herein presented except to the extent clearly indicated in specific claims.

I claim:

1. In a portable apparatusfor humidifying gas, the combination of a base, a group of jars disposed upright on said base, at least one of said jars adapted to contain a liquid for treating the gas and equipped with means for bringing the gas into contact with the treating liquid, a cover overlying said group, a corresponding group of jar caps secured to the under side of said cover having detachable engagement with the necks of said jars, detachable means for clamping said base and cover on said jars, and means for conducting a flow of gas through said jars.

2. In a portable apparatus for humidifying gas, the combination of a base formed with a central hole, a group of jars disposed upright on said base, at least one of said jars adapted to contain a liquid for treating the gas and equipped with means for bringing the gas into contact with the treating liquid, a cover overlying said group, a corresponding group of jar caps secured to the under side of said cover having screw engagement with the necks of said jars, a central tie bolt extending through said cover and secured in said hole, a nut on the upper end of said tie rod, a handle on said cover, and means for conducting a flow of gas through said jars.

3. In a portable apparatus for humidifying gas, the combination of a base formed with a central hole, a group of jars disposed upright on said base, at least one of said jars adapted to contain a liquid for treating the gas and equipped with means for bringing the gas into contact with the treating liquid, a cover overlying said group, a central tie bolt secured in said hole and formed with a threaded upper end extending through said cover, a nut on the upper end of said tie rod in clamping engagement with said cover, a handle' on saidcover overlying said nut, and means for conducting a flow of gas through said jars.

4. In a portable apparatus for humidifyiug gas and measuring the rate of flow of the latter, the combination of a base, a pair of jars disposed upright on said base, one of said jars adapted to contain a liquid for treating the gas and equipped with means for bringing the gas into contact with the treating liquid, and the other equipped with means for measuring the rate of flow of the gas, a cover overlying said jars, a corresponding pair of jar caps attachedto the under side of said cover having detachable engagement with the necks of said jars, detachable means for clamping said base and cover on said jars, and means for conducting a flow of gas in series through said jars. 1

5. In a portable apparatus for humidifying gas and measuring the rate of flow of the latter, the combination of a base, a group of three jars disposed upright on said base, one of said jars adapted to contain a liquid for treating the gas and equipped with means for bringing the gas into contact with the treating liquid, another equipped with means for measuring the rate of flow of the gas, and the third adapted to trap excess moisture carried over by the gas, a cover overlying said group, a corresponding group of jar caps attached to the under side of said cover having detachable engagement with the necks of said jars, detachable means for clamping said base and cover on said jars, and means for conducting a. flow of gas in series through said jars.

6. In a portable apparatus for humidify as,

the combination of a group of jars disposed side by side, at least one of, said jars adapted to contain a liquid for treating the gas and equipped with means for bringing the gas into contact with the treating liquid, a cover overlying said group, and a corresponding group of jar caps secured to the under side of said cover having detachable engagement with the necks of said jars.

7. In a portable apparatus for humidifying gas, 

